Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bloomingburg, New York 12721
Sunday, May 19, 1996 12:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was ridge soaring, when he encountered a wind gust, and the glider drifted over the crest of a ridge. He tried to return to the windward side of the ridge; however, he encountered a wind shear, the glider stalled, and then it entered a spin. The pilot recovered from the spin at a low altitude and flew into an area of scrub oaks in a nose down attitude. The pilot reported: 'Flying faster could have avoided the stall....'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall spin and collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/19/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BLOOMINGBURG
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12721
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID MSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1403
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2020
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65847
NTSB Number NYC96LA111
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schweizer
Aircraft Model SGS-2-33A
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS-2-33A
Aircraft Serial Number 337
Certified Max Gross Weight 1040
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 7781
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WURTSBORO FLIGHT SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 50 BARRONE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WURTSBORO
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12790
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N82
Departure City WURTSBORO
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --